How do we keep our areas clean?

e are going to need to be innovative when it comes to cleaning up the areas which we call home.

A drive through Komani shows a dirty town. Litter lies everywhere, either not collected or illegally dumped. It’s a hazardous, unsightly and unhygienic situation and one which will not attract investors.

It seems like moaning about it will bring about little change, but hopefully as the Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality starts putting its affairs in order, refuse removal and disposal will improve.

In the meantime, however, a lot more needs be done to clean up the town and our neighbourhoods. It’s a job which calls for community activism in policing both ourselves and others.

Throwing rubbish out of a car window is not fine. Dumping refuse in open spaces is not acceptable. Expecting other people to clean up after you, is not on. These are the basic principles on which we need to start building to ensure a cleaner environment.

Fining people who engage in illegal dumping (you’d be surprised how many people

Wthrow away letters/ accounts with their names and addresses on) could send a message that this will no longer be tolerated – and it will bring in some much-needed revenue for the town.

Organising regular clean-ups of the area, in addition to the municipal clean-ups, could help.

An awards programme that seeks to reward business premises in the CBD which keep their areas free of litter could work, as could a competition for schools to create awareness of keeping the EMLM towns clean. Supporting anti-plastic campaigns is another.

In addition, we can each do a bit – take a black bag along on a Sunday walk and collect the rubbish along the way or just picking up the odd bit of paper or plastic and throw it into a bin – this can and will make a world of difference.

We live in a beautiful area which is slowly but surely being eroded by filth. We can not allow that to happen.

Rep’s current website poll asks the question whether refuse removal should be outsourced to private companies within the said municipal areas. Have your say on